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Effects of using mobile instant messaging on student behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement: a quasi-experimental study
Open accessAbstract
Mobile instant messaging (MIM) has become the most popular means for young people to communicate. MIM apps typically come with a myriad of features that educators may leverage to increase student learning. However, it remains poorly understood to what extent and in what aspect MIM can facilitate student engagement. We address the gap by comparing the effects of using MIM and asynchronous online discussion (AOD) on student online engagement, using a quasi-experimental study involving a historical cohort control group. Understanding which communication mode can better promote student online engagement is particularly important during the current widespread use of online learning. Specifically, we examined engagement from the behavioral, emotional, and cognitive dimensions. The results showed that the MIM group was more behaviorally engaged in discussion activities, producing more messages, more words, and higher rates of participation, task completion, and interaction. Emotionally, no statistically significant difference was found in students’ affective evaluation of course interaction and satisfaction between the two groups. However, MIM appeared to help students with improved intimacy and interpersonal relationships. Cognitively, the MIM group was more engaged than the AOD group. In particular, MIM seemed to facilitate interactive idea exchange and thus contributing to more “creating” activities. We conclude by providing suggestions for future instructional practice and research directions.
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“Similarly, Tang and Hew (2022) showed that sending notifications via mobile push messages increased behavioral and cognitive engagement, while no significant difference was observed in the affective evaluation.”
From You have a notification: the role of push notifications in shaping students’ engagement, self-regulation and academic procrastination (2025) · cites this paper as Tang and Hew (2022)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
In the citing paper
“Similarly, Tang and Hew (2022) showed that sending notifications via mobile push messages increased behavioral and cognitive engagement, while no significant difference was observed in the affective evaluation.”
From You have a notification: the role of push notifications in shaping students’ engagement, self-regulation and academic procrastination (2025) · cites this paper as Tang and Hew (2022)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
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“On the other hand, since participation in online learning refers to students' engagement with the learning platform across all its dimensions (Peng, 2017), the results of subcomponents in the study by Tang and Hew (2022), which calculated participation behaviors based on push notifications, were comparable to the behavior indicators used in the current study.”
From You have a notification: the role of push notifications in shaping students’ engagement, self-regulation and academic procrastination (2025) · cites this paper as Tang and Hew (2022)
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“Similarly, Tang and Hew (2022) showed that sending notifications via mobile push messages increased behavioral and cognitive engagement, while no significant difference was observed in the affective evaluation.”
From You have a notification: the role of push notifications in shaping students’ engagement, self-regulation and academic procrastination (2025) · cites this paper as Tang and Hew (2022)
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Metadata
- Authors
- Tang, Y., & Hew, K. F.
- Affiliations
- Southwest University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Tang, Ying
- Venue
- International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education
- Published
- 2022-01-11
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 3-3
- ISSN
- 2365-9440 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC8747857
- OpenAlex
- W4206298561
- Cited by
- 102
- References
- 61
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 34 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 9
- FWCI
- 48.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Locations
- International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Online and Blended Learning
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Mobile Learning in Education
- Social Sciences › Linguistics and Language › Digital Communication and Language
- Keywords
- mobile instant messaging, asynchronous online discussion, student engagement, behavioral engagement, emotional engagement, cognitive engagement, online learning, student satisfaction, interpersonal relationships, idea sharing, university students
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